Vistry Group unveils plans to build 800 homes north of Haxby, York

A housebuilder says it wants to build the houses to the north of Haxby, which could increase the size of the settlement by a fifth.

Major developer the Vistry Group - formerly Bovis Homes - has approached City of York Council over the details it needs to submit in a future planning application for a site.

The land it seeks to develop is east of Moor Lane and West of Usher Lane.

A Vistry Group spokesperson says the developer is working with Barrat Homes on the scheme.

They said: “The areas proposed for housing are included as an allocation in the emerging local plan which is currently at examination.

“The City of York Council has been consulted regarding the scheme, and community events are being planned to present and receive feedback on the proposals from residents, the parish council and other key stakeholders.

“Dates for these community events will be announced in the near future.”

The view from Usher Lane. Picture: Google

Haxby Town Council declined to comment on the scheme ‘at this stage’ but Haxby ward city councillor Andrew Hollyer, a town planner by trade, confirmed a ‘scoping opinion’ was being sought from City of York Council as to whether Vistry would have to submit an Environmental Impact Assessment in its planning application.

Cllr Hollyer, who also chairs one of the city council’s two planning committees, also confirmed the site had been allocated for housing in the council’s draft local plan, which is currently before a government inspector.

Haxby, he says, has a doctor’s surgery which is ‘struggling’ and there are problems with the sewerage system, which causes flooding on some of the fields. Haxby also needs more play areas and open space.

Cllr Hollyer said: “Should any application come forward we would expect that it would meet the requirements set out in the local plan.

A map of the site

“These requirements include addressing the infrastructure needs of the community (for example green space, school places and primary care) which are currently at or near capacity.

“We would expect an application to have undertaken extensive pre-application consultation with the local community and for the developers to have taken this feedback on board.”

He added: “We would also call on the developer to not submit a planning application until the local plan has formally been adopted by the council and therefore gone through all the necessary stages of consultation with the local community.”

Town councillor Tony Richardson raised similar concerns over the sewerage system, GP services, play areas and local roads, which are “under pressure as it is”.

Haxby has been identified for extra housing so “there should be no issue” getting them built, he said. Originally, 1,600 homes had been spoken of, but 800 over 10-years would be a “very slow drip into the system”.

Haxby lacked affordable homes and “we need new houses for the young people”.

But he warned: “Services definitely need to be upgraded. Commitments need to be made before we go further.”